Drink, Swear, Steal, Lie
by FairyCakesAndDaggers
Summary: The wizard lied. When Zelena's real mother finds her, they begin plotting revenge . . . by any means necessary. Story begins in Oz, weaves its way through other realms. Rated T for themes.
1. Chapter 1

It was the sudden cackling that startled Zelena; she'd been so sure she was alone.

"Oh, my dear little Zelena. Look how you've grown," the strange woman remarked.

"What? How did you get in here? Who are you? How do you know me?" she demanded as she prepared herself for an attack.

"A mother always recognises her daughter, dearie," the auburn-haired woman replied.

"B- No, the wizard - He told me -"

"What I told him to say. What you needed to hear at the time. Oh, look at you - so beautiful. So _powerful_." The strange woman sighed. "How hard you worked to become this. And all because you were jealous of a woman you were led to believe was your sister. Well, I suppose she is, in a way."

Zelena was intrigued. "What do you mean? And how do I know you're even telling the truth?" Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"You were both tutored by Rumpelstiltskin. And you don't know. But, uh, if you look into my eyes, you'll see something quite familiar."

Zelena looked, _really_ looked into the strange woman's dark eyes, and she saw her own eyes staring back at her. She clamped a hand over her mouth. "Oh. Y- the same - we . . . Can it be? You're really my mother?"

The strange woman removed the jewels from her high collar. "Yes. My name, dear Zelena, is Griselda."

"Your necklace - It looks like mine."

"Yours came from mine. I never expected it would take this long for me to get here. But you - You are more powerful than I ever imagined possible. If Cora hadn't stolen you from me, you'd be even more powerful. You would have had everything." Griselda took a shaky breath. "She stole your life, your _destiny_ so she could give it to her daughter. For that, they must pay."

Zelena cackled, just as her mother had when she'd arrived. "Oh, Mummy, Mummy . . . Where do we start?"


	2. Chapter 2

_Later that night, over tea_

"Why is your smoke red when you teleport?"

Griselda had feared that question was coming; she'd have to answer it sooner or later. She set her cup down on the chipped saucer. "It is my anger," she admitted. "It is a long and sordid story. The short version is that your father left me for another woman." Her eyes glowed a frightening crimson for a moment. "My only consolation from my sorrow was the child growing within me. I hadn't even had the chance to tell him before he left. Then you were taken from me, as well. There were days I thought I'd go mad with loneliness and nights I thought I'd never move again. It's been my wrath, my desire for revenge that has sustained me. And my hope that we'd be reunited one day."

Zelena's lips twitched with reigned-in optimism. "Really? You thought of me?"

"Not a day passed that I didn't. You were all that ever really mattered to me. There was so much I wanted to give you." She shook her head, suddenly weary.

Her daughter was confused. "Why didn't you just tell me all this instead of having that ridiculous fraud lie to me?"

Griselda stared into her teacup. "You're right. When I knew where you were, I should have come to find you. Part of me was afraid of how you'd react, that you wouldn't want anything to do with me."

Zelena reached across the table to grasp one ruby-tinged hand. "You are my mother," she stated softly. "When my father told me I wasn't actually his, all I wanted was to find you and ask you why you gave me up." She couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

For the first time since she could remember, there was a gentle hand to comfort her and wipe the tears away.

"There, there, dearie. I'm here now. Mummy will make it all better."


	3. Chapter 3

_If you've been waiting for this, I apologise for how long it took. I know how the general story will go, but the trouble lies in getting the details just right.  
All things come with a price._

* * *

_many years ago . . ._

Griselda bustled about the small cottage she shared with her father. She stoked the fire and checked the stew. _'Very nearly ready. I hope Father's in a good mood when he returns from his trip.'_

Stundexim chose that moment to come bursting in. "Today has been a good day, indeed, Sellie!" he boomed. He held up a scroll of parchment and a small burlap sack over his broad shoulders.

Griselda smiled, relieved to see him so pleased. "How wonderful. Welcome home, Father. Supper will be ready soon, and -"

"Good, good!" he interjected. "We shall eat, then we will go to our new home!"

"N-new home?"

He harumphed and settled into a chair at the table. "One of the bargains I made just this morning."

She didn't want to think about the fate of the former occupant of their new dwelling. She knew all too well what a trickster the Dark One could be, how he could twist words to suit his needs or merely to amuse himself. There were nights she wondered what kind of father she might've had had she been born before he wielded that power.

But her gift of seeing what would be didn't extend to what might have been, it seemed.

He misinterpreted her melancholy sigh. "There, there, child. You'll like the new place. It's a castle!"

She shrugged off the reverie and managed a weak smile. "I'm sure I will. It's just that this is the only home I've ever known. Someplace different - It will take me some time to get used to the idea, that's all."

He accepted her explanation, as he always did. "I'm sorry I missed your birthday last week, Sellie."

"It's all right, Father. Your work is very important. There are . . . so many who depend on - on the services you provide."

"Yes. Always so much work to be done. Well!" He clapped his large hands together. "After supper, we can have a nip of rum!"

Griselda turned to slice the bread. It wouldn't do for the Dark One to see her wicked little grin.

_When you can see the future, dearies, there is irony everywhere._


End file.
